


Prince Mari

by QueenofFennoscandia



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, Crossdressing, False Identity, M/M, Prince Katsuki Yuuri, Prince Victor Nikiforov, Romance, Royalty AU, Secret Identity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2018-12-13 00:54:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11748732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenofFennoscandia/pseuds/QueenofFennoscandia
Summary: The shoes were way too tight on his feet as expected. Yuuri was already starting to plan a letter in his head. Something along the following lines:Mother, father,I think I might have made a huge mistake.Yours sincerely,Your loving sonCrown Prince of HasetsuKatsuki Yuuri





	1. Chapter 1

It was the day Mari was supposed to leave Hasetsu. What waited her, was the married life with the future king of the Piter.

As this particular day had gotten nearer and nearer, day after day, Yuuri could see the confliction in her eyes. This was not what Mari wanted, and he hated being forced to see her this way.

So, when the day had finally arrived, Yuuri only took a one look at his dear sister staring at her breakfast with an empty gaze, and he made a decision. A decision, which had not been thought well through. Still, it was a decision that made more sense than anything else during the passing month as he had watched his sister getting ready for the union she had never wanted.

Mari had always wished to see the world as it is, as something that cannot be experienced only by sitting inside the walls of the castles or palaces. Their parents had promised her a diplomatic career that was supposed to let her have the life she wanted. Yuuri would be the new ruler of Hasetsu when the king and queen would be too old. Mari could travel far, see, and experience. She was a princess, but a political marriage had never been a necessity. Not until a year ago.

The Kingdom of Piter had contacted them.

The thing was, Piter had undergone a revolution five years ago. Before that the kingdom had been closed off place. No one got in, no one got out. But when the news of the sudden fall of the old ruler reached the other kingdoms, no one was sure what to expect from that on. The King and Queen of Hasetsu had also been hoping for the best. Piter was not a small country, their realm reached far. And what came for Piter and Hasetsu, these two shared a border.

Two years Hasetsu's neighbor kingdom had gone through a lot of changes: infrastructural wise, politic wise, custom wise. After four years of hard work inside the kingdom, Piter was ready to open its gates to outsiders. The thirty years of isolation was behind.

On that year of Piter’s revolution even 20 years old Yuuri had understood the importance of creating and maintaining a good relationship with the new monarchs. And so did Mari, when she was called to the conference room with their parents four years after the news of the new ruler emerging. That was why she pledged her loyalty for the contract of the future marriage. Without thinking twice, she promised herself to the heir of Piter.

Their parents had been clear that it was not the only choice.

_Yuuri had been standing outside the conference room, feeling anxious, when the door opened. His sister back was turned on him as she was still talking at their parents._

_“What is the other choice?” she had asked her voice unwavering._

_Queen Hiroko and King Toshiya had gone quiet._

_“That is what I thought,” she had said with a grim smile._

_“Mari, you know we will figure something else out,” their father had explained._

_“There’s no need to,” Yuuri had heard Mari announce. “One year from now I will leave and go to Piter.”_

_“Mari,” Yuuri had whispered._

_His sister turned around. Her eyes softened as she saw her little brother. “Oh Yuuri.”_

_“Why do you have to go?”_

_“Haven’t I always wanted to go for an adventure. I guess the time had come sooner than we expected. You know that I’ve always desired to leave at some point.”_

_“Not like this,” Yuuri had complained. “Not like this, Mari.”_

_She had opened her arms and embraced him tightly._

_“Mari,” Yuuri had whined._

_“I know.”_

_He understood her sadness from the hug that was almost crushing._

_“It’s not fair.”_

_“I know.”_

_“Mari,” Yuuri had said while looking over her shoulder at their parents standing next to each other, watching at their children with a sorrowful expression._

_“I know.”_

Yuuri had no idea what he was doing. But he was going to do something. He would protect his sister from the fate she did not want, even if he had to make it happen himself, and with limited time – very limited time. The sudden urge to do just that had come suddenly when everything had finally seemed final: she would have to leave in a couple of hours.

They had given their formal farewells in the main hall. Feeling his sister in his arms reminded Yuuri of that day when Mari had made the decision.

Yuuri’s heart was beating madly as he practically ran to the quarters where he expected to find the one person he could definitely trust. Thankfully, when he knocked the door, a familiar face appeared behind it.

“Yuuko,” Yuuri said to his friend who also appeared to be one of his closest and loyal royal servants. “I need you to do something for me.”

“Cannot it wait? Everyone are getting ready for the departure of the Princess."

“That is exactly why it cannot wait,” Yuuri said sternly.

She looked confused, “What do you mean?”

Yuuri did not dare to answer.

“Yuuri,” she said, her eyes narrowing.

“Yuuko,” Yuuri said, “Please.”

She sighed, “What do you need?”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Yuuri rambled.

 

* * *

* * *

 

To be fair, there had not really been time to think. But, there were a couple of things he knew for sure: One, Mari had to go to Piter. Two, the royal family waited her to arrive. Third, Yuuri could not let her go there.

There was only an hour or so before she had to leave when he found her walking along one of the main corridors, already wearing her travelling cape. Yuuri dragged her into one of the drawing rooms. She had gone along with him, looking a little amused of her little brother suddenly acting weird.

“We’re changing our clothes,” Yuuri muttered with hurried voice and started to remove his coat after placing his glasses on a writing table.

Mari just looked at him, confused.

After a pause, she asked, “To what?”

Yuuri was ungracefully pulling his left shoe from his foot as he explained, “No, I mean, _we_ are changing _our_ clothes.”

Another long pause. Mari was just staring at him with her eyebrows raised. Yuuri huffed.

“You will take my clothes, I’ll take yours. You are not going to Piter.”

Reluctantly, Mari started to undress herself. They both turned away from each other, trying to remain some modesty.

“Then, who will?” she asked.

“I.”

He heard the rustling of clothes stopping behind him.

“Hurry,” Yuuri urged.

They both kept silent as the articles of clothing fell on to the floor one by one. Mari must have been even more upset about the thought of the marriage as she was not arguing with Yuuri’s demands.

“Mind yourself!” Yuuri complained when the white skirt Mari had thrown over her shoulder landed on his head. Then he took a look of the garment and said, “What is this?” It did not look like a part of the dress Mari had just been wearing.

“An under skirt. It...gives you more of a ‘poof’,” she muttered.

Yuuri gave it another doubtful glance before starting to pull it over his legs till it reached to his waist. Carelessly, they kept pulling and pushing the clothes to their right places until no more clothes were scattered around.

“I’m done,” Yuuri said.

“Me too,” Mari answered, and they both turned around.

 “Yuuri, you are completely mad,” she said sounding breathless. Her hair was curled softly to frame her face.

“We need to do something with that hair,” he commented. “I did bring my cape, though. I trust you have yours with you as well.”

“I’ll just pull the hair back. I have a hair tie somewhere. And yes, here’s mine,” she said, picking up the Maroon hooded cape with white flower embroidery on it from the chair’s back. “But what about you?” she stared at Yuuri’s messy but still far too short to pass hair.

Yuuri swallowed before showing the bag under the table. He opened it and pulled out a long black wig.

“Where on earth did you get that?” Mari looked alarmed.

“I asked Yuuko to get me one this morning,” he explained. “I just need to…”

“Wait,” Mari said, “I’ll do it.”

She gently brushed his own hair back before pulling the other layer of black hair over it. He felt her trying to fix the tangled curls with her fingers.

“It doesn’t actually look that bad,” she said, still sounding shaky.

“Yeah?” he tried to breath more steadily. Yuuko had said it was made of real hair. Which…was a little creepy, to be honest.

“Uhu,” she hummed and tugged the wig once more. “Okay, done.”

“How do I look?”

A small smile appeared upon Mari’s lips, “Like great aunt Yoshiko in her twenties in that huge painting on the wall of the third-floor corridor.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“Weirdly, I think so.”

Yuuri nodded and glanced at the clock on the wall. “Oh no, we have to hurry. Where did you put your shoes?”

“Here,” she said and handed him hers as she took his brown high boots.

“These are not going to fit me,” Yuuri complained when he saw Mari’s heeled shoes but still tried to put them on. There was no way that his heel was going to fit in. His feet were not even that big, but Mari’s were still more petit compared to Yuuri's. And of course, even only a few centimeters could make any shoe ill fitted.

Mari had already his shoes on when she walked to him.

“Let’s just pull one of the skirt layers low, so no one can see your feet. Although, I think that my travelling cape does not leave much to be seen, anyway,” she said an unceremonially lifted the hem.

Yuuri screeched in surprise

Mari snorted. “Look at you. Already a modest lady.” She pulled the third layer down forcefully.

Yuuri grumbled.

When Mari seemed to be satisfied, she backed off.

“That will do,” she said. “I don’t think there will be much walking. I was planned to spend the trip alone in the Piter’s royal family’s carriage that they sent to pick me up."

According to the tradition, the bride to be was supposed to arrive alone. Meaning, without his or her family or serveants. It was all about the trust, honor, and that expected ridiculous etiquette of making a proper bond between two familiar.

Satisfaction disappeared when finally panic flashed on Mari's face. “What are we doing, Yuuri?”

Yuuri did not answer, just pulled her cape over his head. Thankfully it did enough to cover his face if he would not look up. He tried to fix the hair in a way that his face would be basically completely hidden. It was difficult tell whether it was working.

“This is madness,” she said, trying to get her brothers attention.

Yuuri ignored her.

“Yuuri,” she murmured softly.

“This is your chance,” Yuuri said, much more steadily than he felt. “We both will leave the castle tonight. You’ve always wanted to travel by yourself.”

“Too dangerous.”

"You will be fine."

"You know very well that I'm not talking about my own safety."

“Mother and father said that you don’t have to do this.”

“Even they would think that this is dangerous.”

“We cannot just sent an empty carriage! At least this gives us time. I make up something.”

“Too dangerous. And don't you think it's a little too late to change my mind?”

“But you want to,” Yuuri looked her in the eye.

“…I do,” she admitted, quietly. “I heard that there is a new harbor in the eastern capital. You remember, in Krung Thep Maha Nakhon?” her eyes lightened when she spoke.

“You will travel there,” Yuuri said.

“Yuuri -“

“No,” Yuuri stopped her from speaking. “You will go to the East, and you can see the harbor and hundreds of other things.” He assured her. “And Phichit lives there. If there’s any problems he will help. I’ll write him a letter, right now, he will get it before you arrive.”

“And then what? What happens then?”

“Let’s not think what follows. I want you to have this. Let me give you this.”

Someone knocked the door, both of their heads turned.

Yuuri already knew who it was.

“Just a moment,” Yuuri said loudly.

Thankfully they were in a room where paper, ink and pen were all available.

He hurried, scribbling the words on the paper before sliding the letter into the envelope and sealing it with blue wax.

“Yuuri, are you there?” they could hear Yuuko asking behind the door. “Is something wrong?”

“No, everything is perfect. Just perfect!” Yuuri assured instead of asking her to come in. He cracked the door open and slipped his hand out after pulling the sleeve of the dress up, so that it would not be shown. “This letter, sent it to Phichit immediately. Please.”

Yuuko sounded hesitant when she took the letter, but agreed, “Of course. Just don’t stay there too long. Mari will be leaving soon.”

“Don’t worry, Yuuko. Just a one moment,” he tried to reassure himself too with his calm tone, not sure if it was helping, though.

When they could hear the sound of Yuuko’s footsteps fading away the siblings turned to each other.

Yuuri smoothened out the wrinkles of the dark turquoise attire. For Yuuri, Mari’s dress appeared more as a gown than something practical for travelling. The inbuilt corset was thankfully loose, and the missing curves that his sister had, made the outfit more relaxing to wear for him than he had expected. Rather than fitting him, one could say that the dress was hanging on him in some places. Now that he realized it, he was thankful. Even Mari who appreciated comfort over the traditional royal dress code had been expected to wear something appropriate for the event. Still, it would had been terrible to be stuck in something suffocating for the whole trip to the neighbor kingdom.

Yuuri straightened his back while cracking the door open once more to check that no one was in the corridor. It was empty.

“Let’s go,” Yuuri said.

Yuuri was trying to think the fastest way to get into the front of the main entrance and attract as little attention as possible, when Mari spoke.

“Wait, no, Yuuri. I cannot let you do this.” She sounded distressed. The first instinct to follow Yuuri’s words seemed to have washed away.

He could not let the doubt get her. If she panics, he will definitely panic too.

“Yes, you can,” he argued, still looking out of the door.

They would have to leave soon. Mari needed all the advance she could get to leave. She would have to travel on horseback, alone. And that is why she should hurry getting to Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. Phichit would surely help her. Yuuri trusted his friend with his life.

“I am the older sibling, I could never forgive myself if something was to happen to my little brother,” Mari said. She grabbed Yuuri’s arm and forced him to look her in the eye. She looked stubborn with her eyebrows drawn into a straight line.

But she was not the only one who could be stubborn.

“Mari, you have always been there for me, anytime I needed. Let me do this one things,” Yuuri pleaded.  

Mari bit her lower lip and looked at his brother franticly. “I don’t know.”

“We have already gone this far,” he waved at their clothes. “Now all we have to do is to go to our own ways. You will take my horse, and go to further east. I’ll rush into the carriage. You already said goodbye to our family in the castle. No one is going to notice a thing. The ones doing the escorting are Piter’s men. They don’t know you, so they will not probably dare to talk to me, at least if I act withdrawn, I bet. Are you with me?”

When Mari said no more Yuuri took it as ‘yes’.

Yuuri was already half through door when Mari stopped him. There was a horrified realization on her face.

“What if they find out. They have to, at one point. I’m supposed to go there to get married. When they find out they will be furious. Who knows what they do to you. I’ve never met the heir of Piter, but he is said to be cold. They say that he could freeze the blood running in one’s veins with a single glance,” she rambled on.

“That is just a silly rumor. He’s as human just like any of us. I’m going now.”

“No! Yuuri, you won’t!” she hissed. “You will not get in any sort of trouble because of me. This marriage was based on a contract between two kingdoms. This is a treason.”

It was terrifying to hear her say that. Of course it was, but he just had not thought it that far. But this was his sister’s happiness. How could he just watch the carriage take her away when she obviously wanted nothing to do with this ordeal.

“They are waiting for a Katsuki to be wed with,” Mari emphasized.

“Well it is a Katsuki they will get,” Yuuri answered.

“Only a fool would send their own heir to an enemy kingdom.”

“They’re not our enemy.” Former enemy maybe.

“Maybe not, but as I just sai, who knows what could happen to you. And think about it, this might hurt the relationship between the countries.”

“Rather that, than hurt you,” Yuuri said fiercely. “You have been worrying about this for a whole year. I’ve seen it in your eyes. You want something else. You have something you want to do.”

“What about you, Yuuri? What about what you want?”

Yuuri took a one more look at his sister before saying, “Sometimes I feel like I’ll never understand what I want, but right now this I _want_ to do,” and rushing out of the door.

It was a harder to move in a skirt that had been pulled slightly too far down to cover his shoes than he had expected. The shoes itself were not making it any easier.

He could hear Mari call behind him with a hushed voice, “Yuuri, come back, right now!”

Yuuri did not listen her, he kept jogging to the stairs, which he hurried down. When he got to the main entrance, he pulled the cloak even further over his face and hurried past Katsukis’ own royal guards.

A row of guards dressed in unfamiliar black uniforms stood next to the carriage. One held the door open. He looked astonished when ‘the princess’ hurried past them all and practically threw herself into the carriage.

Yuuri waived his hand to sign that he was ready to leave.

“Princess Mari?” the servant asked next to the door, outside the carriage.

Yuuri nodded, his head turned to the other direction from the door. He kept his head down and stared at the light blue velvet seat intensely.

“I - I assume you’re ready to leave?”

Yuuri nodded again.

“I understand,” she said.

Yuuri did not even look up.

To his surprise the servant continued talking, “Princess, I understand if you are upset, but I assure you, the palace of Piter is stunning. You will learn to love it.”

Then the door was closed.

Yuuri leaned against the soft seat and sighed loudly.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Yuuri was starting to feel bad for Mari’s reputation. The servants and guards seemed to be convinced that princess was completely crushed and crying quietly alone. Which was not like Mari, at all. Most likely, even if she had ended in his place, she would have held her head high and suffered alone without letting it show.

Maybe it was for best that everyone seemed to give him space to grieve, or better, to ponder whether this was the best of the worst decisions he had ever made. The thought of Mari already riding to her freedom made him feel a lot better of his own situation.

The journey was long, but at some point he realized that they must have crossed the border.

Yuuri felt a rush of interest, he could not help it. He had never been in Piter, not many had. The country that had been closed off for 30 years intrigued him. No one was sure what had happened during the years of revolution and before it. Some called the old ruler a tyrant.

Lately, polite letter exchanges had been made between the two kingdoms, but it had taken three years of hard work of getting into the place where Piter was ready to fully contact their neighbor kingdom with offers of visit.

It would not have been safe to travel early on during renovations. The King and Queen of Hasetsu, Mari and Yuuri’s parents, had finally visited Piter for the first time a year and a half ago. The alliance was something both partied desired, after all, The Katsukis were a long ruling dynasty who not many had grudge with. The Nikiforovs' kingdom reached far and currently was rising from its ashes.

So, no, Yuuri had never stepped on the soil of this country. As a kid, he remembered tightly controlled fences being on the border, something that was not to be crossed. Not that Yuuri had ever seen them himself as a child. The distance from The Hasetsu Castle to border was not something to be underestimated.  

Yuuri recalled some of the old tales of the old Kingdom. He remembered hearing a lullaby in Piter’s language as a child. The spooky melody and unfamiliar sounding lyrics had scared him when he was just five years old.

Yuuri put on his round silver rimmed glasses, he had slipped inside of the cape, and dared to peak outside as he pulled the heavy white drapes covering the carriage’s windows aside. A small village could be seen. They were just about to pass a cottage. In front of it stood an old woman with a small girl, they both were wearing colorful dresses and flower decorated scarves on their heads. Both of them were staring at the small entourage.

Yuuri felt his eyes meeting the little girl’s. Her eyes widened and her little hands tightened a hold on the old woman’s skirt. Yuuri waved his hand. Uncertainly, the girl lifted her hand and gave a little wave. Yuuri smiled before pulling the curtain back to its place.

 

* * *

* * *

 

 

The innocent curiosity in Piter had disappeared as soon as they had arrived at the capital. Yuuri had not dared to even think about looking outside again. He felt his hands shaking as he tried to slip the shoes back on and smooth out the fabric of Mari’s dress. It was like his heart was about to completely stop beating when the carriage stopped. They must have been in front of the palace. In a last moment, he remembered to take off his glasses. Thankfully, he would do just fine without them, though he preferred the slightly sharper vision he achieved by wearing them.

The door opened and someone offered a hand to help the princess out. Hesitantly, he took it.

Yuuri kept his head low as she stepped on the smooth white stone floor where the stairs of the same material led to the entrance of the palace. He hesitantly looked around to take everything in.

The building was huge and heavily decorated even from outside. Even the aura it saturated was somehow different from the familiar castle of Hasetsu. The Nikiforovs' imperial palace that stood tall of him was - impressive.

The servant noticed him looking and commented, “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

Yuuri wished he could answer better than just with a nod. He also wished that he was there to admire the palace in different circumstances.

“Your fiancé is waiting you in the entrance hall.”

The every step he took in Mari’s shoes were physically painful, but he just bit the pain down.

Guards opened the heavy white and gold doors from both sides, and Yuuri could hear his own heart hammering in his chest.

If the front of the palace had been impressive, he could not find the words to describe how it was from the inside. For a second, he was dazed enough to forget why he was there. Everything has huge and white. It all was very unlike the Katsukis’ Castle, which was filled with toned colors and dark stone and wood.

Of course, the Hasetsu Castle was a wonder to many with its large royal garden which took a lot of space which could have been used for the living quarters of royal family inside the building. They had wide halls and a beautiful ballroom, hundreds of different rooms, and stunning bath area, but all in all the space was very smartly used. Today’s Hasetsu was a multicultural city but its history and traditions could still be seen in many ways, the minimalistic living style blending into whatever the traditions faced. For example, the clothing the royals used in formal events were more often the modern style that many preferred rather than the traditional clothes of Hasetsu. Mari preferred to mix fabrics and article of clothing during her free time. Once Yuuri found his sister lying in the garden in one of the gazebos, wearing a pair of black pants she had ’borrowed’ from him, some traditional white hakama top and bright red silk kimono hanging over her shoulders.

Here in Piter everything was heavily decorated. Interior was made to have an impact. On Yuuri that impact was admiration and terror. And to be honest, that must have been exactly where the architects must have been aiming at. Bravo.

Yuuri was not sure if he could ever imagine Mari living in a place like it.

Eyebrows furrowed, he found himself staring at the floor which had some sort of pattern on it too. Standing in this place was like being in a dream. Yuuri was completely lost in his thoughts. That was until the next words were spoken.

“Princess Mari Katsuki.”

Yuuri lowered his face, hurriedly. But he dared to peak under his lashes, not lifting his head fully.

His eyes trailed on the dark uniform styled outfit.

It was the prince, Yuuri realized. Mari’s fiancé.

Yuuri’s etiquette lessons hit in suddenly, and he mimicked the curtsey he had seen Mari repeat countless of times during ceremonies. He took a hold of the dress’ skirt with other hand and used the other to place it gently over his heart. Thankfully, his lowered gaze was appropriate for the greeting.

“Prince Nikiforov,” he said, using a hushed voice, hoping that the other would not pay attention to how his voice sounded.

Yuuri felt stiff as he got up and straightened his back. He felt unsteady in Mari’s shoes, and he hoped that it did not show. His dance lessons were most likely saving his ass. The mimicking the soft motions would probably not been otherwise this smooth. Still, he was far from well educated ‘lady’ – whatever that even could mean. Every movement made in front of the prince, he felt uncertain. Yuuri swallowed loudly when the prince walked closer to him. It took his all to not take a step back.

With his white gloved hand he picked Yuuri’s, lifted it, and placed a kiss top of his shaky fingers, lips hovering over the skin.

Well…

That was something that had never happened to him before. Yuuri felt his cheeks slightly heating.

“Please call me Viktor,” the Prince insisted.

Yuuri nodded, feeling foolish with his restricted ways of communicating at that moment. It was getting really embarrassing. The Prince must have thought him as a rude person for not offering the same, to call her – him Mari. It had been just five minutes and here he was already offending the royal family. Great.

The atmosphere was terribly awkward, and Yuuri wished he could just flee. But he was in a strange country, pretending to be his sistet - his _sister_ , in front of her fiancé. Her fiancé who he would probably find staring at him if Yuuri just looked up. Yuuri was determined to not do that.

Finally, the prince talked. His voice was somehow distant. Yuuri was not sure what to think of it.

“I’m sure you’re tired. Would you liked to be escorted into your room?”

Yuuri offered another polite curtsey instead of just curtly nodding again. He tried it to make it look as grateful as possible. How on earth can one show gratefulness through a curtsey? You cannot. One will only look like a completely ass.

 _I'm so sorry Mari_ , Yuuri could not help thinking.

When Yuuri finally did look up, he got the full sight of Prince Viktor’s side profile. He was looking away with a somber expression.

Yuuri's throat felt tight.  

The dark uniform suited the pale royalty. In fact, standing in front of the golden decorated palace staircase, he looked like he belonged to the dreamlike view perfectly. It made Yuuri think whether there was something true in the foolish rumor that Mari had told him. He took in other’s appearance fully. Silver-like hair, golden epaulettes, sharp nose. Yuuri felt unfit to call himself a prince.

Yuuri was too shocked to look away when he saw the blue irises fully. Had Yuuri’s blood frozen? He was not sure. It might have felt a little bit like that. And now, even though the prince was looking straight at him, he seemed somewhat distant.

Yuuri might have felt a little offended for Mari’s sake. Was this how the other looked at his future bride? The polite kindness made the marriage seem cheap. Sure, Yuuri was not acting like this was a beginning of some sort of sappy love story of a lifetime, but he had an actual reason. The Prince’s disinterest left bad taste in Yuuri’s mouth. Yuuri felt like even when he was being looked at, the Prince stared right past him, maybe over his shoulder. Yuuri turned around to look the large white doors being closed behind him. The sight of blue sky disappeared behind them. And suddenly everything felt somehow final.

Two of them had already said their goodbyes, in their own stiff way, and the servants were already seemingly waiting for Yuuri to follow them. So that was what he did. He lowered his head once more as he walked past the Prince. The sound the heels of his shoes meeting the floor was loud in the spacious hall.

Yuuri could hear a heavy sigh behind him.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Yuuri was lead to his, well, actually to Mari’s room. The servants closed the doors, and he was left alone.

The shoes were way too tight on his feet as expected. Yuuri was already starting to plan a letter in his head. Something along the following lines:

_Mother, father,  
I think I might have made a huge mistake._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Your loving son_  
_Crown Prince of Hasetsu_  
_Katsuki Yuuri_

He removed the cape and threw it on some fancy looking chair. The room itself was enormous and beautifully decorated. It was a room for the future King’s fiancé. As mentioned, the whole décor of Piter Kingdom was a quite more extravagant than he was used to see in Hasetsu.

Yuuri was used to the darker color scheme of Hasetsu Castle. Deep dark red, royal green and blue, seemed to not exist in the Palace of Piter. Even in this room which had been offered to him, everything was so light. White, gold and pastel colors covered every surface. It made everything seem terribly enormous, and cold.

Yuuri found his own reflection on a full-length mirror that was placed on one of the walls. He looked unfamiliar in Mari’s turquoise dress.

He walked to the bed and fell on to the soft light green sheets where golden stitched created a beautiful web.

Viktor Nikiforov was like ice. His eyes were ice. His hair was ice. His skin was ice. His words were ice. And his polite smile was ice. Yuuri could not help but freeze in front of him.

And Yuuri himself was a fraud.

It would have been difficult to say if either one of them was any better from the other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I feel like it's impossible to write oneshots.
> 
> Obviously, the names of countries/kingdoms/places etc. are actual city names. I just needed to make up something so I used an easy option. I went for Piter because according to my "well-done" research it's a nickname for Saint Petersburg(?). For me it's just simple to use it. Excuse my Finnish if I accidentally start writing Pietari. Anyway, a fictional universe/historical settings/countries. I just wanted to write some cute and funny identity reveal shit. Instead I ended up with way more serious than previously planned mood with hastily done background explanation for the storyworld.
> 
> I'm just going to leave this here and come back fixing it later. I hope it's not a complete mess, because I am completely sleep-deprived. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
>  
> 
> [tumblr](http://queenoffennoscandia.tumblr.com/)


	2. Chapter 2

Being in the Palace of Piter had been an interesting experience.

Yuuri had been taking his time, trying to process the choices he had decided to go with. All in all, he was doing well. Honestly.

Honestly.

Honestly…

Yuuri could not even fool himself. He was terrified half of the time, and the other half he spent being in daze, disbelieving that what was happening was the actual reality. Everything was so strange, Prince Viktor included. It was like the man himself was not a human at all, rather a figure carved out of stone.

And there was this thing that made everything worse.

Yuuri could not figure out which layer of all the skirts Mari had used before, when she had done the feet hiding trick. And that was exactly the reason why he was running late for his first breakfast with the royal family, or in other words, the first meeting with the leadership of this country which felt still so very unfamiliar to Yuuri.

He still could not believe that the first contact he was going to have with them was this way. There are instructions how these things should go, and Yuuri was not in his right place as the crown prince of Hasetsu in sneaking into the everyday life of the royalty of Piter. No matter how you looked at the situation, it was outrageous.

Again, as far as the first meetings goes, this one was a very casual one. For Yuuri the announcement about it had been a bit of a surprise, but also a relief.  This way there would be less pressure, and less eyes aimed at them. So, it would have been a relief – if only Yuuri was not late.

The confusing layout of the palace was doing him no favors. He should had asked the maid to help him. But he would have to talk if he wanted to ask, which, would have been problematic, to say at least. There are a few aspects you have to take into account when you basically are practicing an identity theft.

That was why he was torturing his poor toes while trying to find the right door, or even the right corridor. Yuuri was not being picky at this point. And the thing about the Palace of Piter was that there were too many doors. He was positive that the Hasetsu Castle was nowhere near this confusing. This place was not a palace – it was a maze. Weirdly tastefully decorated maze.

Yuuri kept glancing around himself frantically.

_Oh god, is that the same marble statue I’ve passed already three times? Just how many sculpted marble busts could one building need?_

He was just about to look away from one of the sculpted head of a gentleman with particularly large and pointy mustache.

“Princess Mari?”

Yuuri wisped around and there was a red-haired woman wearing a grey uniform. He could tell right away who she was.

Yuuri straightened his back. “Lady Mila Babicheva.”

She beamed. “You were on your way to the dining hall, I assume? I can show you the way, your highness.”

The relief washed over Yuuri. “Yes,” he sighed, still keeping his voice hushed. “Please.”

Yuuri was taken by surprise when Lady Mila offered her arm. Yuuri took it. He had seen sometimes ladies walking like this together, giggling, and plotting the world domination. Well, maybe that was not a common topic, maybe that was just Mari and Yuuko.

“You’re taller than I expected,” Lady Mila commented.

Yuuri was feeling another blister forming between the toes of his left feet.

“Is that so?” he said nonchalantly and lowered his head so that the wig hided more of his face.

“Yes. I mean, with high heels you’re probably almost as tall as Viktor.”

Viktor – _Prince_ Viktor. She called him in such a familiar way. As far as Yuuri remembered standing in front of the Prince of Piter, he had just felt that the presence of the other towering him.

Yuuri just hummed, not sure what to say. It all was starting to feel like a bad joke. How was no one realizing? How? What was wrong with this city, and these people?

He had to say no more as they seemed to arrive at their destination. Yuuri eyed at the heavily decorated entrance, and a shaky breath escaped between his lips.

“Here we go,” Lady Mila said and opened one of the huge double doors by herself. The servants standing next to the doors looked bothered when she did not let them do their job.

Then Yuuri was pulled into the dining hall, which was… Well, let’s say it did not leave itself into the shadow of the rest of the building.

“Please take a seat,” she said with a bright smile upon her face.

There was a group of people sitting on the other end of a ridiculously long table. Yuuri, as he was not wearing his glasses, could only guess who were the ones sitting there before they walked closer.

Of course, he had been already informed about the royalty of Piter. Actually, he had been offered a fairly detailed profile of every single one of them since the plan to improve the relationship between kingdoms had been announced, as it had been appropriate because his own position. Lady Mila had not been an exception on that matter.

When it came to the royal family of Piter, all of them in fact were not related, not closely at least. It seemed that the revolution had left behind a mismatched set of royalty. Yuuri did not know and, to be honest, care if any of them were born with a tittle. As long as they had no ideas in entering into another period of war, Yuuri would have no problem with anyone. At least so he hoped, even as his eyes found Mari’s fiancé sitting calmly on his seat on the other side of the table.

As far as Yuuri knew, Prince Viktor was the only Nikiforov alive. He was supposed to be crowned when he was ready for the throne, and till then his parents’ trustful friend Lord Yakov Feltsman was there to make sure that the Prince would success exactly that.

Yuuri avoided looking to Lord Feltsman’s direction as they were seated, but a few words were still exchanged. Just hearing Prince’s voice made Yuuri want to just stare at the ground – to hide himself even more. It was like this person with his rigid posture might be able to expose your darkest secrets just by glancing at your direction, and the Prince of Hasetsu had no idea what made him feel that way.

 Surprisingly, Prince Viktor seemed to lose his interest on his fiancé pretty fast, as his attention was drawn back to the food in front of him. He mechanically chewed the piece of fruits one by one while looking bored.

 _Arrogant_ , was the word that popped into Yuuri’s mind suddenly. He tried to ignore the thought. It was not his place to criticize other’s character anyways. They were just strangers to each other. Their future would have anyways been sitting on the opposite sides of the table, changing words politely, creating a trustful but unpersonal alliance. Often it was more beneficial for not creating anything more. There would be no personal reasonings, trust, or vendetta, which might create unnecessary conflict.

Yuuri also recognized a high member of the council, Lilia Baranovskaya. Sir Georgi Popovich, Prince Viktor’s close knight, was sitting next to chief of royal guards – Lady Mila. Yuri Plisetsky, mouthy viscount of some sort, kept staring at Yuuri. He looked unimpressed.

To be honest, Yuuri was not sure how the breakfast went. He must have blacked out. For sure. Yuuri would not been even able to tell what he had eaten, if he had eaten at all during the whole ordeal. Though, the crumbs on his plate proved that something indeed had been consumed.

Later, he was in the safety of his room, feeling ashamed of avoiding every eye-contact anyone had tried to make with Princess Mari.

Who he was not.

He was just, you know, Yuuri.

He pulled the fluffy duvet up to his ears.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Days went by. Yuuri still had not been thrown into jail or sent back to Hasetsu. Who knows why. Everything had been quite confusing.

One thing at least was definite: Prince Viktor did not like him.

Maybe _dislike_ would have been a strong word. More than that, it might as well be that his fiancé did not exist to Viktor. It felt like every time they met, Viktor looked at him less and less. The small conversations Yuuri managed to get through were formal, impassive, and lackluster.

Yuuri knew that maybe he could never be a lady of anyone’s desire, it never had been his life goal, but the man should at least have some interest in his own future wife, surely! It is not like any of them had much freedom in deciding these things. Yuuri knew that very well. Being the future king of Hasetsu had never been on his wish list when he was growing up. He would have been more than satisfied with working in the background type of position.

Yuuri just wished that Prince Viktor was not making his dissatisfaction that obvious. The strange looks Yuuri sometimes noticed the other giving him made the uncertainty crawl into his bones and cling tightly to him. He used the wig as a protection. It was a barrier that hid him from this person whose character Yuuri could not completely figure out. The Prince of Piter was, more than anything, distant.

 

* * *

* * *

 

They were dining when Yuri Plisetsky commented, “Can she even talk?”

Everyone could tell right away who the boy was talking about.

Viktor’s eyebrows were slightly raised, but he said nothing.

Lady Lilia looked like she had swallowed something down the wrong pipe.

“Manners!” the old woman demanded.

The Viscount huffed and tugged his neckcloth undone. Lady Lilia looked like she was about to burst a blood vessel.

Yuuri did not honestly mind. Unlike someone, at least the young blond boy giving some attention to ‘the future member’ of the Piter’s royal family.

Not that Yuuri was bitter or anything.

“I apologize,” the Viscount corrected himself, “Can Princess Katsuki even talk?” The green eyes were narrowed.

“Of course she can,” Lady Mila said and swallowed a bite of the lingonberry pie.

Yuuri stared down at the food on his own plate.

_Actually, she cannot because she is not here._

Sir Popovich turned to Yuuri and said, “I have to admit that I am a little bit surprised by your temper, your highness. I was not aware that the Princess of Hasetsu was quite this shy.”

Yuuri stabbed the crust with his knife.

_She was not._

“Actually, I have heard something completely opposite. Not that you aren’t charming,” Sir Popovich offered a smile.

Yuuri felt his eye twitching. He offered a tight smile. It felt forced. It was forced. His feet were on fire. For some reason, it felt like he had not pulled the wig quite far enough. When the desert was served, Prince Viktor on the other side of the table had just put a spoonful of jam into his _tea_. Yuuri had no idea how to handle any of this.

What was it that Phichit always advised to do when one finds himself in a situation that is difficult to bear? - Smile, endure, nothing will ever feel like it last as long as Minako’s surprise sword fighting endure training. Phichit liked to remind Yuuri now and then how he still has a permanent bruise on his gluteus maximus from four years ago. He and his ‘phantom pain’.

Prince Viktor dropped another spoonful of the purple jam into his cup. Drops of tea splattered over the white tablecloth. Yuuri took a deep breath in.

The tense breakfast was interrupted by the messenger who brought a handful of letters in. Yuuri was thankful, and he could not even bring himself to feel bad about it.

Yuuri was almost sure his luck was turning when his eyes focused on the dark orange seal on the letter on top.

_Phichit’s letter._

The pile of letter went around the table, until Prince Viktor was holding the only two letters left. He looked over the envelopes when he realized that one of the letters was addressed to Yuuri – to _‘Mari’_.

Yuuri was so focused on the envelope that he completely forgot to avoid those blue eyes he had been so determined not to stare. Prince stretched his hand to pass the letter to Yuuri which the other took a little too eagerly. Yuuri could see the line forming between the well-groomed straight eyebrows. On the other side of the table Prince Viktor mouth was forming a thin line.

Yuuri felt a little more conscious when he finally had the envelope in his hands. Instead of opening it under the sharp gaze of Mari’s fiancé, he placed Phichit’s letter that had been burning under his fingertips to his left on the table.

Yuuri had no idea what came to him but for once he looked straight back when he realized that the Prince’s eyes were still on him. Neither looked away for a while. It was Prince Viktor who finally turned back to his food. Yuuri could not read what the expression on the Prince’s face was about. It was hard to understand someone who was not letting any emotions leak out.  

Yuuri sighed and continued to eat. He also tried not to stare at the dark green envelope on the table. It was more difficult than he was willing to admit. As soon as the chance came he rushed back to his room, Prince Viktor already disappearing from his thoughts.

Yuuri kicked the shoes off and hastily cut a straight line in to the green paper with the letter opener. He smoothened the hastily folded letter and started to read.  

 

_My dear friend._

_Prince of Hasetsu._

_Your royal idiocy._

_You are the absolute worst._

_What the hell is going on? You cannot just throw that kind of letters or your sisters at me. And before you ask, yes, I know you only have a single one sister, and yes, she is well. Mari just got here, but she was exhausted, so I sent her to sleep. She said something about you being in Piter. What on earth are you doing there? Please give me an explanation that will not leave me with just the option of barging into the Nikiforovs’ Palace and saving you from your senseless ideas that I apparently was too blind to ever expect from you._

_Please do not tell me that you have done something stupid you are already regretting. Let me believe that. Please. I cannot handle a dearest friend who has self-sacrificing tendencies that are on the verge of making him danger the newly formed alliance with a country that had been under war for decades. Because that is not what Yuuri Katsuki would do. Right?_

_Your loyal friend and the voice of reason you seem to have lost,_

_Lord Phichit Chulanont._

_Ps. Please tell me if I actually have to cross the ocean for you. You know I would. You idiot._

 

* * *

* * *

 

It was the day after, during the breakfast when things started to go wrong. Really wrong. The kind of wrong where you would rather just ignore the whole ordeal and keep on eating the chestnut plum upside-down cake on your plate.

Earlier on that same day Yuuri had handed the letter which he had hastily written for Phichit to the one of the servants. It felt good to know that he had someone out there for him. Someone on his side. He had been almost feeling positive in the morning.

They were in the middle of eating when another letter arrived. It was a letter that confirmed something Yuuri had not even realized to be afraid about.

He really should have.

Like before, once again Yuuri recognized the seal. His eyes widened, and he almost dropped the silver fork he was holding.

The black royal seal of Katsuki stood out proudly against the pure white paper.

_Oh - oh no._

“Prince Yuuri Katsuki is missing,” Lord Feltsman read out aloud. The stern voice of the man managed to actually crack in the middle of the sentence.

Yuuri’s shoulders tensed as he heard the gasps echoing around the table.

Even Prince Viktor’s eyes widened as his lips formed the words, “Excuse me, he is what?”

The heart beat painfully against Yuuri’s ribcage.

“Gone. The Prince is gone,” the older man repeated gravely. He frowned when his eyes scanned through the letter.

Prince Viktor stood up abruptly, walked up to Lord Feltsman, and started to read the letter over the older man’s shoulder.  

How could have Yuuri been panicking so that he had not been thinking that he had disappeared for days, and without telling anyone. Without saying a single word to anyone at home, with no explanation. His mind had been full of Mari and full of Piter. He must have been out of his mind!

Are they searching for him blindly? Are they thinking he was abducted? Had they come to the conclusion that he was after all just a coward who had ran from his responsibilities. Yuuri started to sweat under the silky mauve dress.

Lady Mila said something. Lady Lilia’s voice might have come after.

_I just disappeared. The crown prince had disappeared. _

Prince Viktor was asking something from Lord Feltsman.

_This is a disaster._

For once Viscount Plisetsky was being quiet.

_What are my parents thinking?_

Yuuri stood up abruptly. He only partly heard something dropping on the floor. The soft sound of metal hitting the floor sounded muted in Yuuri’s ears.

“Princess?” someone called after him.

Yuuri was not paying them any attention. Instead, he rushed out of the dining hall, looking like a maiden in distress.

But it was not like Yuuri was about to storm into prince Mari’s bedroom and cry against the pillow. That was not what Mari would have done either. It was not the way a Katsuki would cope when there was actually something he could do.

When the heavy doors closed behind him, Yuuri lifted his gaze from the floor, removed his shoes and started to run along the polished corridors only in white knee-high sock covering his feet. When he was back to the familiar room, he grabbed a pile of papers on the table and half of the pile fell and spread to the floor. Yuuri opened the ink bottle and wrote line after line, forgetting the formalities in the words he chose.

He hoped that the ink would not smudge when he ran out of the room, leaving a mess of papers behind him.  

Yuuri was running again. He could still make it. There was determination in his eyes, when he saw the familiar looking messenger just out of the second floor’s wide window. He speeded up.

The man was just about to enter in a carriage when Yuuri was out of the door.

He lifted his forefinger as he said breathlessly, “Just a moment.”

The messenger looked confused at first, but in the end Yuuri finally had the letter he had before planned on sending to Phichit in his hands.

He broke the seal unceremoniously, removing the letter from the envelope. Then he wrapped the freshly written pages inside the first letter. He wrote in a request to Phichit to send the other page to his parents in Hasetsu. It would explain that he was staying in Phichit’s place for a little while. His friend would just have to post it.

Yuuri stood staring at the road long after the messenger’s carriage had disappeared.

This was the only thing he could do for now. When he went back inside, dark footprints trailed after him on the palace floor. At that moment he realized that it had been raining outside.

It was not even past noon and he was ready to be done with the day.

Yuuri was caught off guard when he saw Prince Viktor standing in front of the door of his room. The man was standing straight, head held high. The dark red uniform-like outfit was working for his pale complexion. Yuuri felt envious of his perfect posture. Though they both were heirs to the crown, there was such a big gap between them. Yuuri could not help feeling like he was something lesser. He was the foolish prince who let his emotions get better of him. Was that how he was supposed to be?

Yuuri took a quick breath in, and before he could truly comprehend he already found himself behind the corner where two corridors crossed. He leaned against the cold and smooth stone. He had not planned on hiding. So, why had he? Yuuri could not find an answer, but neither could he bring himself to approach the Prince. What could he even say? How should he act? Could he truly fool Mari’s fiancé?

Yuuri’s erratic thoughts were interrupted by the sound of receding footsteps. Prince Viktor was leaving.

Yuuri finally slipped back into the room when he was sure that the other was not returning. The delicate fabric of the socks had unraveled from the heel. He was glad that the other prince had not seen him like this.

The Prince of Hasetsu was an embarrassment.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Another week passed. Yuuri started feel sick of lying through his teeth.

A new letter from Phichit had arrived. A vague announcement that Prince Yuuri was fine reached to the Royal Palace of Piter, too.

Somehow the mood still stayed somehow stiff. Maybe it was always like this in Piter. The memory of the war was not far behind. Did Prince Viktor even know how to smile? Yuuri was starting to doubt it. The closest expression on the man’s face even reminding of any emotions, that Yuuri had witnessed, had been the one showing dissatisfaction.

As mentioned.

Prince Viktor did not like his fiancé. That much Yuuri could tell.

It was the way the Prince stood rigidly next to him while the painter of the court was trying to capture the image of the couple to be married in the future.

Yuuri copied the stony expression as he stood there, wearing a navy-blue dress that matched well with Prince Viktor’s white and gold outfit. When the painter announced that they were done for the day, Prince Viktor walked out of the room without a word, like he could not physically handle to be in the same room no longer than necessary. Right then an unfamiliar feeling of irritation creeped up on Yuuri.

It was the way he spoke to Yuuri when it was unavoidable between two of them. Yuuri had a reason why he was overly cautious. He would have just liked to know what was Prince Viktor’s excuse.

Basically, for Yuuri there was no need to avoid the Prince as the other was not looking for Princess Mari’s attention. Mixed feelings kept forming and he could not bring himself to enjoy the company of Prince Viktor. But it was really difficult to judge someone’s behavior just by how things appear to be.

Well, that was before on one evening Yuuri walked on Prince Viktor talking with Lord Feltsman, loudly, in the middle of the usually abandoned hall of the East wing. It was the first time Yuuri had heard Prince Viktor being so vocal about anything.

“Vitya, she is your fiancé.”

“She is a stranger, that is who she is. It is like trying to communicate with a stone wall whenever we are in a same room. I do not know if that is just how she was taught to act or if she has something against me and now is acting arrogant because of it, or maybe that hollow façade shows exactly what she is inside.”

“Watch your words!” Lord Feltsman growled.

“That is all I do.” Yuuri could _hear_ Prince Viktor gritting his teeth.

Yuuri peaked inside from the open doors.

“No one’s asking you to be whatever you think that is. And you have the understand, she’s in the same position as you are.”

Yuuri’s eyebrows rose when he heard Prince Viktor snort.

“I am not sure if she even has been playing by the same rules that we had on the table.”

Yuuri’s eyes narrowed.

“What on earth are you accusing her for?” Lord Feltsman’s voice boomed.

“You have seen the letters – from Lord Chulanot. Is there are proper reason for an unmarried lady to keep exchanging letters continuously with unmarried men?”

“I never pegged you for a such a traditionalist. The way you speak… Mila would break your nose if she heard this coming out of your mouth.”

Prince Viktor was quiet for a while.

Yuuri took the opportunity to study the man who usually was so well-composed. His own skin was tingling, his blood was boiling.

“What is wrong with you?” Lord Feltsman muttered.

“I do not know. That is the thing. I do not understand any of this, and her the least. And maybe I do not even want to. But I still have to be able to stand her at least!” Viktor suddenly raised his voice.

“She is your fiancé!”

“It does not mean that I ever want her to be mine.”

Yuuri felt his shoulders tensing as he took a step back.

 “If someone heard you talking about her in such way-”

“No need to worry. I know how to play my part,” the cold words fell out of Prince’s mouth.

Yuuri did not want to hear any more but his legs were not moving.

“Vitya,” Lord Feltsman sighed, “No one wants you to act anything else than who you are.”

“Could have fooled me,” the Prince hummed.

Lord Feltsman sounded frustrated, but much gentler than before, “You promised to try.”

“That I did.”

“You did not have to agree. The engagement was not obligatory.”

“It did not feel much of a choice standing before all those hopeful faces when I was offered the ‘chance’ to turn down the offer.”

“I am sorry, but we have come this far. It would not be fair for anyone for end this.”

“It seems like after all I have no voice in these matters,” he sounded exasperated.

Yuuri remembered the expression he had seen on Mari’s face.

“Viktor…”

Mari had been sad, she had not wanted the marriage, but neither had she ever complained. She had been ready to come here. She would have done it if it was not for Yuuri.

“You promised it would not be the same after the war,” the prince sounded almost childish.

Yuuri did not want to listen anymore. All he could think about was his dear sister. Mari would have stayed here with her ungrateful fiancé. She would have not have told her family how miserable she was. He felt sad for his sister’s sake. Is this what she would have had given up her dream for. Would have there been a chance that those two would have fallen in love if the one coming between them had not been Mari’s brother.

Lord Feltsman went silent, until he finally said, “It will never be.”

“Then why does it feel like I’ve been driven into a position where my future has been decided to be spent with this _stranger_.”

“It takes time to make things work.”

“Well, it doesn’t. It is not working. Not with us, not with her.”

Yuuri had taken a step back as he repeated the just said words in his head.

Not with her.

Not with her.

Not-not with Mari.

Not with _Yuuri_.

Since Yuuri had gotten there Prince Viktor had just taken couple glances of Yuuri.

Tried to exchange couple of funny compliments with him.

Given the cold shoulder. Offered the cool politeness, a thin smile.

Yuuri tried not to make it about him. He tried not to let the words sting him.

They did.

Of course it did not work. Not, when it was with Yuuri.

He must look ridiculous anyway. He felt ridiculous. He was not his sister. So how could he be as bright, lively, cocky and smart as she was? How could he compare? Yuuri had no idea why, but it all felt like a failure at that moment. He was ruining everything.

Yuuri rushed away, and ignored the words that were exchanged behind him. He had heard enough.

 

* * *

* * *

 

After that, he kept hearing more inside his own head. Even all the little things that Prince Viktor did translated in Yuuri’s head in the worst possible way.

A couple days after the incident in the East wing, Yuuri was again standing next to Prince of Piter as the court artist tried to capture the image of the royal couple to his canvas.

Viktor looked same as always, and something in Yuuri’s head made him realize that a part of him hated Prince Viktor. Right at that moment he somehow really did. He hated his piercing eyes, his fair hair, his height, the slightly pointy tip of his nose, the stupid white and gold uniform.

Yuuri did not hate people, not really. So the realization took him off-guard.

Yuuri swallowed and forced himself to focus into the porcelain vase behind the painter.

He was being unreasonable. It must be because he was in emotional distress, away from all the safe and secure. Yuuri had no reason to hate the prince. There was nothing he could do about anyone’s personal feelings.

When the artist announced that they are finished for that day, Prince Viktor left the room without doing as much as giving a glance at Yuuri’s direction. Once again.

Yuuri frowned when the door closed behind the other.

Well, it was not like the ice prince was liking him either.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Yuuri was not even feeling bad anymore when he time to times got the sudden urge to push Viktor Alexander Nikolai Nikiforov down the highest tower of the Palace of Piter. He was impressed that he actually did not follow the urge. Instead he just settled for hoarding the burst of frustrations and self-hatred inside himself.

This man made him feel so many hidden feelings that it was a bit of a shock. If only it was not because of all the wrong reasons. Maybe they could have become agreeable acquaintances. Because even with his stony demeanor, the Prince managed to be somewhat fascinating.

It became kind of a way to past the time when Yuuri started to try to point out any signs of emotions flashing on the man’s face. Yuuri wanted to see if the little rare moment of Prince Viktor raging had been just imagination.  It felt like he was already losing in his own game, though. Stubbornly, the blue eyes refused to show those stormy feelings hidden underneath.

The rumors of Prince Viktor’s laughter, smiles, were still to be proven to be true. Lady Mila must have been hallucinated about all those times she told Yuuri about. Though Yuuri tried to be reserved, she sometimes would come to him. Not caring that Princess Mari was being quiet, she talked with high spirit. It made Yuuri feel a little bit less alone.

He still thought she must be delusional, tough.

 

* * *

* * *

 

The Autumn days had become chillier, and Yuuri was starting to feel the promise of an early winter of Piter. Sudden and unforgiving – that was how it seemed when Yuuri saw the first snowflake floating down as he was standing at the grand garden of Piter.

He knew that winter started months earlier as it ended months later in Piter when compared with Hasetsu. Yuuri never knew that he would have to experience it himself.

In his latest letter Phichit had voiced his concern about Yuuri’s delaying return to Hasetsu. Apparently, his mother and father were both getting really worried as was Mari. This could not go on. Even the weather was affecting on Yuuri, not only physically. He found himself feeling colder than ever in more than one way.

It was also difficult to not start hating yourself even a little bit when you deny from yourself the possibility to voice your opinion. Yuuri’s parents had raised him to share his thoughts, to fight against his nerves and act as he was supposed as the future king of Hasetsu. But here he was in Piter, acting against all of what he was supposed to do by hiding. He had never enjoyed lying, but now that was his everyday life, and it was exhausting. He wanted to disappear.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Yuuri was sitting on the garden bench outside, a warm shawl wrapped around his shoulders.

How long had it been? – A month?

Yuuri was lost in his thoughts. His eyes scanned the palace grounds until they landed on Viscount Plisetsky. The boy was practicing with his sword. He looked tired but stubborn.

Yuuri analyzed his posture, how he was holding the sword, and leaned to the bench.

Without thinking he got up, picked a fallen branch from the ground next to the bench and walked to the boy.

Viscount Plisetsky turned to Yuuri. He had a surprised expression on his face and he was breathing heavily.

“What do you want?” he hissed.

The rash way of speaking did nothing to surprise Yuuri anymore. He had learned from Sir Popovich – Georgi, that Yuri Plisetsky had lost both of his parents during the war. The boy himself had been too young to fight. Yuuri did not blame him for being angry.

Instead of answering Yuuri beckoned young man to continue what he had been doing before. The other frowned but, in the end took the starting position. Without warning Yuuri hit the boy’s left leg with the branch. Viscount Plisetsky was startled.

“What are you poking me with that thing?” the boy growled. 

Yuuri sighed but did the same thing again, and finally the younger man understood to move his legs a little further apart. Yuuri nodded approvingly. Next, he poked the arm, to get the boy to lift his arm higher and straighten it just a little bit more. The last thing Yuuri did was practically asking the boy to mirror his posture. When Yuuri was done he waved his right hand to make him try again the move he had been practicing before.

The Viscount did so, and right after he turned to Yuuri with a confused expression upon his face. Yuuri just nodded and decided that it was time to return to the warmth of his own room.

He could hear a quiet, “Thank you,” from behind him.

Yuuri glanced over his shoulder. The boy looked awkward with his long sword. Yuuri offered a wordless smile this time before turning away.

When he lifted his head, he happened to see Prince Viktor staring out of the second-floor window. Even though he did not have his glasses, somehow Yuuri could tell. He just could not see what kind of expression the man was making. Not that he cared. Yuuri had learned pretty fast not to care. Well, it was easier to tell that to himself.

On the same day, Yuuri realized Prince Viktor watching him.

They were standing side by side, being painted once again. Yuuri just wished that the portrait would be done already. A few times he could see from the corner of his eye, the prince opening his mouth as if to say something, and then pressing his lips tightly together without saying a thing. It was driving Yuuri mad. He wished that the other would just say if there was something he was not satisfied about. Rather that, than unintentionally hearing these things being talked behind his back.

But Viktor said nothing, the painter asked them to leave, and the princes walked to opposite directions.

It had been month, and Yuuri had no idea what to do anymore. It would be a lie though to say that he had known in the beginning either.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Fortunately, Yuuri had something to do while staying in Piter. Lady Lilia had brought him piles of documents and books to be read about the current issues and history of Piter. Yuuri had to admit that it was intriguing.

He was allowed to learn information which he could not have gotten into his hands in any other way. It was not like he was learning anything he would have not been able to learn in Hasetsu if he put effort on it. But even though none of it was country’s guarded national secrets, no. No one just had the idea that there might be interest in any of it in other Kingdoms, not enough, for any of the books Yuuri had been reading to be made shared.  

And to be honest, Yuuri could see it not being the primary interest of Hasetsu either. They had no need for any of Piter’s statics taken hundred years ago or for the history of Piter’s early folk tales and poetry. It was also an excellent way to brush his language skills.

Thanks for his own upbringing, he was more than able to follow conversations in language of Piter, though the common language had been becoming more and more popular in Piter too. Not that Yuuri had been talking much himself in either of these languages.  

But Yuuri felt like he was starting to understand Piter more – both as a language and as a place. Lady Mila and Sir Popovich came to Yuuri from time to time, talking about the current issues. It all would have been very necessary information for someone who was about to be the Queen of the kingdom.

Even Viscount Plisetsky had started to talk to him, well, complaining about his own responsibilities.

When Yuuri realized that he was getting used to the routine he started to panic.

And when Lady Lilia brought up the colour of the wedding dress, Yuuri’s heart almost stopped.

Everything was getting a little too real.

 

* * *

* * *

 

It took two days for his panic to get into the maxim level. Maids had managed to almost walk in while he was changing – twice. It felt like suddenly the servants were there all the time, making sure that Prince Mari had anything she might need. Instead of bringing comfort, the gesture forced Yuuri to be more alert than ever.

He also started to doubt every glance he got. Did Lady Mila know? Did Viscount Plisetsky know? Did Prince Viktor know? Where they starting to realize that truly there was something that was not right.

This all would not work. Of course he could not hide it forever. And, he was the crown prince himself, for god’s sake! There was no saying what they would do if he told them...if they found out.

So, Yuuri finally got himself to believe that it would be better if he would just get the hell out of Piter. The damage control could be done when he was back in his own kingdom.

He and Prince Viktor could have a proper conversation where one of them was not wearing his sister’s dress. Yuuri could make an explanation properly. He did not know yet what that explanation would contain, but he had the whole trip back to Hasetsu to work it out. First, he would just have to hope his parents would not disown him before he had chance to fix things.

When the night had fallen, Yuuri took off the flowy silk dress. It had fallen on the floor when he wrenched the wig off too and threw it next to the pile of clothes where few layers of skirts had piled up. All that he was wearing was the white undergarment which included white camisole and matching light pants that reached mid-calf. It was a like wearing some kind of summer nightwear as both piece of clothes fell a little baggy over his frame as he did not have Mari’s curves.

It would be embarrassing, but if he just had the cape or something to hide he could manage to look like any other normal man traveling. White pants would look like normal pants, he assured himself while rummaging through the wardrobe. Anything else this room contained would not pass if he wanted to sneak out as quietly as he had planned.

He pulled on the thickest socks he could find, wondering why all of them had to be white. Soon enough the bottom of his feet would look dark as the night as he had no fitting shoes to wear. For his displeasure, Mari’s wardrobe did contain any other capes than that one he had worn when he had arrived. It would not be subtle at all. Cursing his luck, Yuuri lifted it over his shoulders.

It had to do.

He put everything he thought he might possibly need during the next following days into a small black bag of Mari’s. He had a small amount of money to pay food and travelling expenses. It would not be a comfortable trip.

Yuuri walked to the door, placing his hand on the golden door handle, but instead of twisting it he paused. He stood there for a moment, gathering himself together.

One more shaky breath, and the door opened.

Yuuri turned to left and hurried through the corridor which walls were decorated with huge paintings of deceased royal family. Yuuri tried to ignore those judging stares. His socks felt slippery against the polished wooden floor. His eyes followed the pattern of decorated swirls.

The direction he was heading to would have a narrow stairwell that the servants used. No one should be there at this hour. Everything would be fine. As long as no one-

“You!” someone shouted behind him.

The sound of the voice echoed.

Yuuri’s shoulders tensed, and he hurried forwards.

“What did you do in the Princess’s room?” the person behind him demanded an answer.

It must have been a guard.

This was not good thing, not at all. Yuuri had not thought this through, at all, as he had not thought about putting an act of being Mari. Sooner or later his luck was ought to run out. He just hoped that it was not right at that moment.

Yuuri glanced behind him as he could not hear the steps following him anymore. Instead, he realized that the guard was talking to someone with loud voice. Then another pair of feet could be heard, and Yuuri saw someone appearing behind the corner he had just passed.

Yuuri tried to fasten his steps. He ran as fast as his legs could take.

“Stop!” the stern voice ordered behind him.

Yuuri’s clenched his fits. His heart surely would stop working any time now as it was thummering so wildly.

He recognized the voice. 

It was Prince Viktor, Yuuri realized. His heart was hammering, his breathe caught his throat, but he kept running.

Just one more turn and the door to stairwell would be there.

He would make it if he just kept focusing on running. His goal was right there, but he was starting to doubt whether he was going to make it.

Before he could manage to figure out any other options, he found himself being tackled down.

He hissed when his fell against the beautifully decorated floor, a weight over him pushing his cheek over the pattern of a flower. The person behind him held Yuuri’s right hands behind his back from the wrist. He felt the strong fingers digging into his skin.

Suddenly, he was manhandled up.

Yuuri was faced with thunderous heir of Piter. It must have been the first time he actually met with those icy eyes this close, with no protection, no hiding. Yuuri had never met anyone with such blue eyes. It made the prince of Hasetsu feel that the winter had arrived even earlier than he had expected and doubt whether the sun could ever melt the land again.

This was also the first time he realized how utterly terrifying the Prince could be. There was no mercy to be seen in that expression of his. Even the Prince’s outburst of frustration to Lord Feltsman had been nothing compared to this. 

Yuuri winced when the nails holding his hand dug even deeper. He would not be surprised if he was bleeding.

And then wordlessly, Prince Viktor started to drag Yuuri away. They were heading to the same direction where Yuuri had come from.

He could not resist the strong hold. Yuuri doubted he could fight the older man off him, and he did not even want to try. It would be a disaster, and his legs were already feeling weak. The month had left his toes feeling sore, bruised, and raw. He stumbled when he was harshly lead along the same paintings he had passed just a moment ago.

It was a shock. He had no idea how he could get away from this. Viktor Nikiforov did not seem like a forgiving person. Only thing that seemed to be appropriate was to assume the worst.

Yuuri was frozen when they stopped in front of the door of the room that had been assigned to Mari.

This is outrageous!” The Prince hissed as he turned to Yuuri who felt his shoulders shrinking.

Yuuri was speechless. He could not even look away when those eyes, unforgiving as before, were back on him.

“What were you doing in Princess Mari’s bedchamber?”

Prince Viktor did not give the other chance to say anything. His hand reached to touch the maroon fabric. “This is her cloak. Do not tell me I’m wrong.”

“Why are you wearing it? A thief?” The Prince guessed as the hood was tugged down. “Are you from Hasetsu?” he sounded surprised as he took in Yuuri’s features.

Then the anger showed on his face. “I will not be the treated like a fool,” Prince Viktor’s voice boomed.

Yuuri looked away, eyes trailing the floor.

What could he do?

“Are you her lover? So that’s it. No wonder she was acting like that. But to bring a lover to the room her fiancé offered to her. Does she have no shame?”

The Prince of Hasetsu was too scared to say a word. Maybe Princess Mari having a lover would not be as bad as the truth.

“We three are going to have a long conversation,” Yuuri heard Prince Viktor say.

Then the door was wrenched open. Yuuri’s eyes fell to the pile of clothes on the floor.

_Oh no._

“Where is she?” The Prince demanded to know. “Princess Ma-“ his voice cut off.  

Yuuri was dragged along to the middle of the room where the clothes were blatantly on display.

“What- what is this?” Prince Viktor looked at the dress on the floor.

Yuuri was staring at the wig. Unfortunately, Prince Viktor noticed what the other was so intensely staring at. His eyes followed Yuuri’s gaze.

Prince Viktor was still holding Yuuri when he used his other hand to pick up the object. He looked confused.

“What on earth…” Prince Viktor muttered.

There was a long while when Prince Viktor just stared at the wig and Yuuri was sending pleading looks to the floor to swallow him whole. His heart kept beating rapidly.

“Why would there be a-“ Prince Viktor’s words trailed of. “…Is this a wig?”

Yuuri could not never again lift his head. He was not sure if his face was completely white from the fright or burning red from embarrassment. He felt his cloak being slightly moved, and the clothes underneath revealed.

“…Princess Mari?”

The uncertain question made Yuuri look up.

Viktor was suddenly right in front of him. He did not move, holding the maroon fabric that had covered what Yuuri was wearing.

Their eyes met.

Yuuri tightened his mouth into a straight line. There was no hiding any more. He had been caught. Unexposed ungracefully, left with no dignity.

Prince Viktor’s eyes were incredible wide, his mouth slightly open. Even his usually pristine silver hair looked disheveled.

Maybe if Yuuri would pray enough the time would freeze around them and he would not have to deal with this situation.

But there was no option like that. He would have to do something, say something, at least try.

Yuuri spoke with his shaky voice, “Not exactly.”

Prince Viktor’s eyes narrowed as he heard the male voice speaking.

“Prince…Mari?” he guessed again, confusion clear in his voice.

Yuuri bit his lower lip, before finally admitting, “Prince Yuuri.”

He could hear a gasp, but before anything else could be said, someone was hammering the door.

“Prince Viktor?! Princess Mari?!”

Yuuri had never wanted to cry this much.

“We’re coming in!”

Then suddenly the painful pressure around his wrist disappeared and he was spun around. He was face-to-face with the other prince. Prince Viktor’s back was directed to the door. The wig that Prince Viktor was still holding was suddenly pulled back on Yuuri’s head. Then, just when the ‘click’ of the door opening could be heard, he was pulled against a very firm chest.

Without meaning to he breathed in. Yuuri forced himself to ignore the pleasant smell that invaded his nostrils. It was not time to be distracted.

Yuuri stayed put, afraid to make even a single movement. He felt Prince Viktor’s chest move under his cheek.

“Is everything alright?” Yuuri heard one of the guards ask.

“What happened to the person who ran?” demanded the guard who had noticed Yuuri first in the corridor.

“Everything is fine,” Prince Viktor answered.

Yuuri could not understand how one could sound so calm at a moment like this. And what was the prince doing, anyway. What was he talking about? Everything was definitely not fine!

“Is- what is wrong with the Princess?” the other guard asked.

Yuuri took a quick breath in.

“Oh, princess Mari had a small injury which she got just before travelling here. She secretly had asked a doctor to check her without telling anyone.”

 _He is covering for me?_ Yuuri realized.

He looked up, and their eyes met. Prince Viktor was already staring at him.

“Poor thing has been too embarrassed to say a thing,” the Prince continued with the excuse.

Yuuri doubted that he was seeing right when he thought that what he was seeing was a small unguarded smile making its way to Prince Viktor’s face.

The guards seemed to be buying it.

“Should we call doctor in again, just to make sure that she is fine?”

Yuuri’s eyes snapped down and now he has staring at the dark red coat front where golden lining created a beautiful web of patterns.

Yuuri knew that if anyone was to see him like this it would be a straight giveaway. So, he did the only thing he could think of and sneaked his arms around Prince Viktor, pulled himself flush against the other. He was practically clinging on to the Prince, hands gripping to the fabric covering the wide shoulders.

He heard a huff of amusement over him, and then the hand on his own waist was tightened too.

“No, there is no need. She’s just slightly startled. I think I might have frightened her.”

“Are you sure, Your Royal Highness?”

“Yes,” Prince Viktor said firmly, and added, “You should leave. It is not polite to rush into a _lady’s_ room.”

A few apologies were sent to them before the guards awkwardly left the room.

Yuuri sighed and unconsciously tightened his hold once more. When he felt a thumb making circles against his lower back, he realized what he himself was doing.

He removed his hands from Prince Viktor like it had burned and withdrew himself from the warmth in a fast motion. Then he pulled off the messy wig covering his hair.

Prince Viktor’s eyes followed the motion with interest.

Wig in his hand, Yuuri just stood there. His heart had yet to calm down.

“Yuuri Katsuki,” Viktor’s words made Yuuri flinch. “The only son of Queen Hiroko and King Toshiya, brother of my promised fiancé Princess Mari, and the heir to the throne of Hasetsu.”

Yuuri was quite sure that this was not politically correct way to be introduced. Still, he stopped himself from hiding further underneath his cloak and straightened his back. He might be a disgrace, but he still can pretend like he had some self-respect left.

“Prince Viktor,” Yuuri said, voice surprisingly steady, and bowed.

When he straightened his back, Viktor returned the gesture.

He felt exposed, standing there in the white undergarments in front of the well-put-together Prince Viktor Nikiforov.

Prince Viktor…

He knows now.

The Prince of Piter knows that his fiancé had never arrived. He knows that the person who he had been so against to marry was not who she had supposed to be. He knows that the person who he had felt so displeased about had not been Mari but Yuuri all along.

Maybe he was glad. Happy, that there was another change for him to find a person he loved, if Mari would finally would be sent to Piter, as he clearly had been unsatisfied with Yuuri.

Possibly, he felt betrayed.

For royalty, for hundreds of years, a marriage had meant diving into a relationship that often was a romantic suicide. It was often something without personal love or appreciation. And now the little trust he might have had for the arrangement was most definitely lost.

The Princes stared at each other. Between them there was empty space. Yuuri stood there, at the grave of love, Prince Viktor on the other side of it.

Yuuri knew that the other had wanted someone to cherish, instead he had been fooled and betrayed, by Yuuri. Prince Viktor was free from whatever he had been complaining about to Lord Feltsman, but it did not mean that he would be all glad.  

Yuuri tightened his hands into a fist under Mari’s maroon cloak.

What have he done?

 


End file.
